RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ANTIFOULINGS

Largely as a result of increasing fuel costs, detailed investigation has recently been carried out on the problem of controlling the growth of fouling on the underwater hulls of ships. The biology of fouling organisms has been extensively studied and there is now a much better understanding, particularly of algal fouling. Fouling is an extreme aspect of the general problem of hull roughness which develops as a consequence of the traditional approaches to underwater hull maintenance. It is suggested that the practice of cleaning and repainting at frequent intervals, using traditional materials, does not provide the ideal answer either in terms of fouling control or long-term control of roughness. The more recent approaches of diffusion control by hydrophilic varnishes, the introduction of scrubbable coatings, and self-polishing copolymer antifouling systems give an indication of the effort that the marine coatings industry has made towards providing improved ship performance. Order from: BSRA as No. 47,359.

  • Corporate Authors:

    Oil & Colour Chemists' Association

    Priory House, 967 Harrow Road, Wembley
    Middlesex HAO 2SF,   England 
  • Authors:
    • Christie, A O
  • Publication Date: 1977-9

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00172963
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: British Ship Research Association
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 12 2003 12:00AM